


See in the Dark

by elizasnarrative



Category: Alexander Hamilton - Ron Chernow, Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: F/M, alexander is also insecure but good at hiding it, eliza is an insecure bean, must protect her, they're both a mess but they're lovely
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-03-03 21:10:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13349595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizasnarrative/pseuds/elizasnarrative
Summary: Modern AU in which Hamilton never makes it out of Nevis. He still meets and falls in love with Eliza. Life has a way of making things work.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer. I do not speak Spanish and used (god forbid) Google translate for the majority of the phrases in here.
> 
> See me on Tumblr. www.elizabethhamilton1780.tumblr.com

 

Eliza had always felt like the odd one out. She was, in a way. She and her two sisters were attached at the hip from the moment they came into each other’s life at that girl’s home. Then, they were all adopted into the same family, the Schuyler’s. They all had that fact in common, luckily.

The difference was, her two sisters were okay with it.

Eliza herself had always struggled with being adopted. Perhaps it was because she looked so different from her parents- at least her sisters had their dark skin like their father. They perhaps didn’t look so out of place like she did. It’s always been obvious that she was adopted. People usually stared at her when she was out with her family. She had always hated being stared at. She hated attention. She would purposely fade into the background and had strived to do so her entire life.

Her sisters were the opposite.

Her older sister, her Angelica, was the top of her class. She was valedictorian and had recently got into Columbia Law School. Her youngest sister, little Peggy, was simply a natural born star. The lead in all her private performance high school productions, she was now studying at Julliard.

Eliza had attended NYU, an average school a mere ninety minutes away from her childhood home. She graduated with a degree in social work and a completely average GPA. She made friends, she’d spent a semester abroad. But so did a group of a few hundred other students. There was nothing special about her or her experience in university.

She wasn’t happy, simply.

Twenty-three and she had no idea who she was or who she wanted to be. So, when one of her old professors, her favorite professor, Martha Washington, offered her a spot on the board of her most recent project—building an orphanage of some kind in the Caribbean— she accepted without a second thought. Might as well dedicate herself to an important project to help children while she figured out what the fuck she was going to do with her life.

After plenty of hugs and kisses from her family, she found herself on a plane. She found herself a cruddy apartment, situated perfectly between the beach and the orphanage she would be working at and within walking distance of both. That was all she needed.

After a week of straight work, she finally got a blessed day off. She pulled her long dark hair into a messy ponytail, her slim figure clad in a pair of shorts with a tank top and a swimsuit underneath. With a towel on her arm, a book and sunscreen in a bag, she made her way to the beach.

The beach she had found herself on was evidently more of a local one. She carefully made her way down the trail that was made up mostly of wet sand a sparse grass, a thick layer of Hibiscus and palm trees. There were a few spots under the thick layer of foliage that had muddy puddles from the rainstorm the night before. The sun was so hot that wherever it touched gave no indication of the storm that crushed the island a mere twelve hours ago.

The beach she had found herself on was evidently more of a local one. She had been given the same type of looks since she arrived, a few of the other tenants of her complex politely asking her if she was lost. Apparently, there weren’t many locals who looked like her. Everyone assumed she was a tourist. She was, of course, in a way. Just staying a bit longer than usual.

She smiled to herself when she hit the beach. She kicked off her sandals, immediately wiggling her toes into the warm sand. After a few moments of staring out into the seemingly endless blue ocean, she started to set up camp. She did so near the tree line so she could have a bit of shade if she wanted to, already feeling a bit hot under the burning sun. She tore off her tank top first, revealing the teal bikini she had on. After shoving her cover up back into her bag, she began to spread out the beach towel she had bought.

Not paying mind to her surroundings, somehow oblivious to the pounding footsteps behind her, she straightened up with her worn copy of the Bell Jar in her hands. She squeaked when she was suddenly knocked to her knees by some force behind her, her book of course landing in one of the muddy piles under the bushes.

She sighed and got to her feet, someone’s warm hands gripping her arm to help her. “Lo siento mucho, no estaba prestando atención, perder.”

Great. Another chance to embarrass herself with her lack of lingual skills (she had taken two years of Spanish in High School and one in college she assumed she’d be alright) and she forgot her dictionary. “Está bien, yo—“ she was cut off when she finally looked up to see this clumsy stranger’s face.

He was literally the most handsome man Eliza had ever seen. His skin was glowing, his hair nearly as dark as her own, the length shaggy enough to brush just below his shoulders. His eyes were big, almost childlike and the most beautiful shade of brown. She blinked when she realized she had been staring too long, but then nearly died of happiness when she realized he was checking her out too. Her cheeks flushed while he just smirked.

“Los siento, linda. Debería haberlo observado más de cerca.” He apologized again, his smirk softening.

He spoke too fast and her brain was working a too slow. All she could reply was, “What?”

The stranger grinned and laughed, the most beautiful sound Eliza had ever heard. “I’m sorry, linda. On two counts, now. You are clearly lost and not only did I rudely bump into you, but I probably scared you by babbling Spanish at you.” His accent was distinguishable, but his English strong and clear, much to Eliza’s surprise.

“Oh. I, It’s alright, you didn’t scare me. I’m actually not lost? I’m staying just down that road.” Eliza shyly gestured to the right with her head.

Confusion flashed in his dark eyes. “There is no hotels there.”

“I know. I’m… It’s my apartment. I’m helping rebuild the children’s home, so I’m going to be around for a while.” She smiled a bit, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

The man nodded in understanding, the handsome smile finding its way back on his lips. “I see. I used to spend a lot of time at the old Windham back in the day.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. Glad to see it is finally getting taken care of. Especially if it brings us company as lovely as you.”

Eliza laughed and shook her head, hoping her blush wasn’t that obvious. “Are you always that kind to strangers you knock into?” She headed over to the puddle her book had fallen into, sinking to her knees to examine it.

“Only the ones I like.”  He followed her. “Oh no. I ruined your book, have I not? I am so sorry, linda.” He knelt down on the other side of the puddle across from her.

“It’s fine,” Eliza waved him off. “It was getting old, high time I replaced it anyways. Um. I’m Eliza, by the way.” She held out her hand, unaware how he got linda.

“Alexander,” he beamed at her, shaking her hand. “Alejandro, technically, but I will let your English slide again.”

“I actually do know a bit of Spanish.” Eliza corrected, tugging her hand back when he let it linger. She looked down to examine her ruined book. “You just… you talk fast.”

He let another one of those pretty laughs out. “So I have been told. But I am not sure if I believe that you know Espanol.”

She glared at him lightly, no real malice behind it. “And why do you think that?”

“Perhaps I am just hoping that you do not. So that I may use teaching you as an excuse to see you again.” The blatant honesty in his eyes and the certainty of his voice frightened her the tiniest bit, but she wasn’t sure why. Perhaps it was because she had never been that confident before in her life… this had to be a joke.

  
“Oh. I… Well, you don’t have to do that, really. I know enough to get around and I have a dictionary.” Eliza rose to her feet, her muddy book in hand. “I’m sure you’re busy. You must have been in a hurry if you couldn’t look to see where you were going.” She smiled.

“Unfortunately,” he said, mispronouncing the word slightly. “You are right. I do have to get to work. But I also have to get your book replaced— my backup excuse to see you.” His eyes twinkled.

“You really don’t—“

“I really do, though. Are you free this evening?” she nodded hesitantly. “Then I shall meet you here at 9. See you soon, linda,” he smiled kindly, moving towards the tree line once more.

She wasn’t sure what just happened. She took a step forward. “It’s Eliza.”

He paused, turning to look at her again. “¿Qué?”

“I think you misheard me earlier. My name isn’t Linda, it’s Eliza.” She corrected him, her cheeks flushing as he walked towards her again.

His eyes sparkled with amusement and he clearly held back a laugh. He tilted his head at her before he plucked one of the pink flowers from the tree beside them. “I thought you said you knew Spanish.”

“I do.”

“No, you do not.” He laughed. “Do you not know what linda means?”

She shook her head, entranced by how close he was to her.

Smoothly, he slid the flower behind her ear, the hot pink standing out against her raven hair. Her cheeks became nearly as the pink flower.

“It means pretty woman.” He beamed at her, dropping his hand. He took a step back, his eyes still on her. “Nine o clock, linda.” With that, he took off in a hurry.

Eliza stood still for a moment, staring towards the direction he ran off in. She touched the flower gingerly, a small smile on her face. Linda.

Perhaps this escape was going to be a lot more than she thought it was. 


	2. Chapter 2

Eliza couldn’t figure out if it was a date or not. She thought of very little else for the rest of the day she spent on that hot beach.

It couldn’t be a date. He was just being a kind soul, replacing the book he had had a hand in destroying. Why on earth would he want to go on a date with her? The last date she’d been on was a few months before she graduated from college. She was a bit out of practice

Still… If it was a date, she wanted to look nice.

 She wore a mint sundress, her dark hair styled straight down her back. She applied a thin layer of eye liner and mascara to her eyes, chapstick to her lips.

 There, she thought as she looked at herself in the grungy vanity mirror. She looked nice, but not like she was trying too hard. She ran her fingers through her hair again before she left her apartment. The sun set a while before, so the dimly street lamps and the bright moon were the only thing lighting her way back to the beach. 

It was a breathtaking sight. She didn’t know if she’d ever get used to how beautiful the island was. This was much needed break from the hustle and bustle of New York City. She was surprised by the lack of homesickness she felt…

“Linda.” 

Eliza spun on her heels to see Alexander approach her, the same handsome smirk on his face. “Hi,” she said breathlessly, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. 

“I was worried you were not going to show,” he admitted, his long hair damp and hanging just past his shoulders, curling slightly from the humidity. 

“I was promised a replacement for my book.” she teased, trying desperately not to overanalyze every word she said. 

His eyes twinkled. “But of course. If you will follow me,” he gestured back up the path that led to the main road. “Now, linda, you must promise me something. I am about to reveal to you a Nevis trade,” he said, mock solemnly. “You must promise me that you will not go on telling any of your tourist friends about it.”

“Well, I don’t have any tourist friends, so I think you’re safe on that front.” she laughed, walking beside him on the path. 

“What about a boyfriend?”

Eliza nearly snorted at his blunt questioning, but managed to contain it. “No, don’t have one of those either.” 

“Really?” Alex sounded genuinely surprised, looking over at her. 

“Really.” she smiled shyly, shrugging her shoulders. 

“I mean… that is good news for me, but I still find it hard to believe. A beautiful girl like you? You must have people lining up in America.” He grinned at her. They were headed into the small street of shops now. 

“I promise you I don’t.” Eliza shook her head, still smiling. 

“Pity for them, good news for me.” He chuckled, turning down a narrow alley. 

Eliza hesitated before she followed him. She was trusting this stranger way too much, she could be led to her death for all she knew. Her sisters would probably strangle her if they knew.

“So… What is this big secret?”

“The majority of us work on the other side of town— at the resorts and other tourist-y part of town,” he spoke and Eliza wasn’t quite sure that it really had anything to do with her question. “Cleaning up the beach, gathering chairs and stuff after the sun starts to set. People leave a lot of things. We— collect things.” He stopped outside what seemed to be a secluded shop, several shelves being seen through the slightly grungy windows in need of a clean. 

“Collect things?” Eliza tilted her head slightly, not quite understanding. “Like, things that people leave on the beach?”

“Si.”

“So, you steal things,” the words left her mouth without really thinking. 

His doe eyes darkened for a moment before he laughed. “I guess one could see it like that— but we do not steal anything what your kind would consider valuable. Not like jewelry or sunglasses or anything like that.”

Eliza ignored the sting that his label of ‘your kind’ left. “So… What do you steal then?” 

His eyes brightened again. “Ah, I’ll show you.” he opened the door for her, gesturing for her to enter. She did slowly, a bit hesitant that she was being led into some sort of trafficking deal like her mother had feared.

Instead of the horror she had imagined, she saw books. Rows of little shelves absolutely filled to the brim with books. She stood in the narrow doorway, a little shocked. She only moved when she felt his hand gently prod her forward a step so he could stand beside her. “We steal words, linda.” he beamed at her when he looked at her, clearly enjoying her surprise. “I promised you a book, did I not? Go and look, we have plenty of Sylvia Plath if memory serves me, if you truly want a replacement.”

Eliza turned around to look at him again, tucking a lock of her raven hair behind her ear. “I mean— is this like, a library?”

“Of sorts.” Alex explained. “We don’t exactly have a, um. System for that? People just take things and usually bring them back when they’re done. But you— you can keep yours, linda. I bring enough books in here, Luci won’t mind.” 

She nodded but still looked a bit hesitant. She was an outsider and this was very clearly a tight knit local system. She didn’t want to be the one who hurt anything. 

He softened a bit when he saw how nervous she looked, a hint of amusement in his tone. “It is really fine, linda. I brought you here, you do not— here,” he took her smaller hand in his and then led her down the vast rows of shelves. Her heart was beating a bit faster than usual and she could feel something that felt like a scar and various callouses across his palm. He led her to the correct section. Sure enough, there was at least four Slyvia Plath’s Bell Jar’s across the shelf. 

“Seems like you’ve been collecting for a while,” Eliza hummed, taking one of the copies. She rifled through the pages, the book being in good condition besides a few water stains along the bottom. 

“It’s been here since before I can remember. Luci’s grandparents started it when her mama was struggling to learn English. They thought the extra reading might help,” Alexander explained, taking her hand and pulling her towards the back of the store. “It just got bigger from there. We help the kids who had to drop out of school to learn English, too.”

“Why is it so important for them to learn English?” For the most part, she had just heard Spanish being spoken amongst the kids at the orphanage. She thought that hardly anyone spoke English locally. 

“Because, linda. People who speak English can get jobs at the resorts, tourist side of town. More money,” he explained patiently. “Have your book?”

Eliza nodded, holding it up for evidence. He then tugged on her hand again, leading her through a door covered by a curtain and suddenly they were in a small but clearly well organized kitchen. She looked around, a bit puzzled by the sudden change of scenery. 

Alex chuckled. “Luci also runs one of the only restaurants on this side of town. C’mon, let’s get some food.” he led her through the kitchen, earning a few mutters from the cooks. They entered another door that led into a small restaurant, the door being directly behind a bar. 

They maneuvered out into the general table area and found a table, Alexander pulling out a chair for her. “I’ll go get us some drinks—“ he was cut off by a rather plump and beautiful looking furious middle aged woman approaching their table. A guilty looking smile made its way onto Alexander’s cheeks. “Hola, Luci.”

Luci started ranting in Spanish at Alexander, taking the apron she had around her arm and swatting lightly at him while she ranted. She cut off when she saw Eliza, a small frown forming on her full lips. “¿Quién es éste?” 

“This is Eliza, she is apart of the group helping out at the willows.” Alexander explained in English, visibly relieved that the attack seemed to be over. 

“Ah. Well, welcome to our island, Miss Eliza. I’m Luciana, I hope this ridiculous one hasn’t caused you too much trouble,” her last part of the sentence turned sour, glaring at Alex. 

“Luci is upset with me for not visiting enough,” he explained to Eliza with a bit of a smirk, sitting down next to her. 

“Ah ah ah,” the pretty woman pointed at him. “I’m upset with you for _disappearing_ for weeks at a time and only showing up when you want free food.”

“Ay,” Alex said defensively, raising his hand in mock surrender. “I’m paying tonight, tía, I promise. Los siento.”

Luci rolled her eyes, clearly trying to hide her fondness as she tied her apron she was wielding as a weapon mere moments ago around her waist. “The usual, then. What would you like to drink, Eliza?” 

“Oh, um. Whatever he’s having is fine.” The woman nodded and disappeared behind the bar. “So she’s your aunt?”

“No, no. An honorary one, I suppose. She was my mama’s best friend.” Alexander explained, scooting a bit closer. 

Eliza was most certain that they were on a date now. “Where is your mother now? Does she still live here?” she asked quietly, regretting the question as soon as she had asked. It took him a moment to recover. 

He cleared his throat. “No, um. She passed away nearly twelve years ago, now.”

“Oh, I… I’m so sorry.” She frowned, placing her hand on his arm comfortingly. “How old were you?”

“Twelve.” he inhaled a bit sharply, moving his arm from her grip. “Do not apologize. It was not your fault, hm? It was long ago, I’m doing alright now.”

“Are you?” she frowned a bit, not quite convinced by the way he reacted previously. 

“Yes,” he chuckled a bit, amused. She wasn’t quite sure what he thought was funny. “You always say what’s on your mind, hm?”

Eliza blushed slightly, a small smile forming on her lips. “So I’ve been told. I’m sorry, it’s probably annoying.”

“No, no. I like it. It is… refreshing.” he held out his palm, waiting for Eliza to take it. She did, praying internally that her palms weren’t too sweaty. “But let me reassure you, linda, that I am doing just fine. How could I not be, in such a beautiful woman’s company?” he pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles and Eliza’s cheeks flushed a bright pink. 

“Oh, Luci was right,” she laughed, not moving her hand away. “You are a ridiculous one.”

“Ridiculous, or honest?” he grinned, leaning in closer. 

She shivered slightly at his close proximity. “I guess we’ll have to see.”

“I am sensing a challenge here, linda.” His big dark eyes sparkled with a sort of mischief before he kissed her hand again. “Careful. I do love a challenge.” 

After a surprisingly delicious dinner, the two made their way back to the beach. 

The full moon was still lighting the sky brilliantly, a seemingly endless cluster of stars surrounding it. “God, look how beautiful,” she gasped when she saw the sight, their hands still linked together as they had been since the walk. 

“The sky?” Alexander made a vague sound, looking up. “It is alright, I guess.”

“Just alright?” Eliza laughed. “I’m sensing you're a difficult one to impress, sir.” 

He grinned at her. “No, I do not think that’s it. I just— it is normal, to me. Things lose their beauty when you are around them all the time.”

She made a noise in vague agreement, letting go of his hand to take a few steps towards the water. He stayed where he was, watching her curiously. “Would you believe me if I said that there were no stars where I lived?” she turned to face him. 

“No. That is impossible.”

“It’s true, though. With all the lights, you can’t really see the stars in the city,” she hummed, looking up at the sky. “When I was younger, when I lived with my parents, out in the country, I always wanted to be in the city… I didn’t ever even take a real moment to look up, admire what I had. It wasn’t until I was alone in my apartment that I realized what I had missed.” she turned to look at him when she felt him take a few steps closer. 

“Perhaps it was not the stars that you missed, but your family instead.” he said thoughtfully after a few moments. 

“Perhaps.” she looked back up at the sky. “I don’t think that’s true.”

“What?”

“What you said earlier? About things losing it’s beauty when you're around it all the time. I think that the challenge is finding another angle, seeing it in a different way so you can see the beauty in it again,” she babbled, turning to face him again. Her cheeks flushed when she saw the way he was looking at her. 

Before she could utter out another explanation for her sudden philosophical monologue, he was cupping her cheek. “Can I kiss you, linda?”

Instead of answering, she leaned in and their lips met in the most gentle kiss Eliza had ever had. His lips were a bit chapped and she could feel the scratch of his beard against her soft skin, but she didn’t care. They shared a few more of those gentle kisses before she pulled away, her hands falling off his shoulders. “I—“

“Can I see you again?” he interrupted her again and her heart melted at how unsure he looked. She nodded, still a bit breathless. “I have work all day tomorrow, but I could meet you here the next evening? Around seven?”

Eliza nodded and she didn’t stop him when he came in for another kiss. “I’ll see you then,” she said, grateful her voice sounded even. 

They parted ways after that, her heart beating fast in her chest. “Linda?” she turned around to face him, still fighting to keep her huge smile down. “I do not imagine that I will ever get used to your beauty.” He grinned at her shocked expression and spun back on his heels, making his way down the opposite side of the beach. 

Fighting back the urge to giggle girlishly the whole short walk home, she clutched the used book to her chest. 

She was already gone for him. Only, she didn’t feel afraid. She felt ready.


End file.
